The Star And The Cee
by JetfireWeasleyThe5th
Summary: This rubbish title heads what I hope will eventually become a collection of Starcee drabbles from the worlds of G1, TFA and TFP, with possibly a bit of SG, too. The ratings will vary from K to T plus , depending on each individual story. Enjoy!
1. Love And War

**AN: This fic marks the start of a random collection of Starcee drabbles, which i will be updating whenever I get inspired and there's a break in updating my other fics. There will be stories from the worlds of G1, Animated and Prime, with possibly a little Shatterd Glass - I'll see how this goes. If you have any suggestions then I'd love to hear them! :)**

**Disclaimer: The only Transformers I own are my pathetic collection of six various figures. :(**

**We start with a K rated G1 fic, set in an AU where the Bots and Cons have reached a peace agreement and A3 is still alive.**

* * *

Love And War

The peace talks – endless megacycles of tedious negotiation, agonizing over the minutest details in order to ensure that no factor was left out.

The introductions – mechs who had hated each other for millennia ushered into the same room and expected to be civilized, with silent prayers uttered left, right and centre that the damage to both sides would be minimal.

And, surprisingly, friendships formed – easygoing 'Bots opening up and encouraging others; discovering shared interests, be it a talent for pranks, understanding between music enthusiasts or even just a love of sports.

Finally, the day came when the forces of both sides were assembled in a vast chamber at the heart of Iacon; Autobots on one side, Decepticons on the other. In the centre, at the focus of the intricate pattern that ornamented the floor, stood a small, circular table, plain and unadorned save for a single datapad. It was here, on opposite sides of the little piece of furniture, that Optimus Prime and Megatron stood, watched by both the optics of their troops and those of the countless others observing the scene via the news cameras that were ringed around the room.

Under the gaze of all of Cybertron, the two mechs – bitter enemies for as long as anyone could remember – added their signatures to the treaty displayed on the datapad, watched all the while by a smiling Alpha Trion. As the elderly mech stepped forward and added a laser seal to the document, finalizing the deed, Cybertronians all over the planet erupted into cheers of sheer jubilation. Finally, the Great War was truly at an end!

No location on Cybertron was more filled with joy and simple, pure relief than that chamber, however. As Optimus and Megatron clasped each other's servos, a roar of celebration rose from both sides and threatened to break through the glass of the domed roof. Hugs, backslaps and victorious cheers were traded all round. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had already broken out the high grade.

All revelry paused, however, as a solitary red, winged mech detached himself from the Decepticon ranks and went sprinting over to the Autobot side of the room. A huge and very uncharacteristic grin was plastered to his faceplates as he scooped up a certain petite pink femme and dipped her into a triumphant kiss.

Laughing, Arcee returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around Starscream's neck. Hers was the only voice to be heard, however, as the rest of the room gaped in unabashed and wide-opticed shock. Even Optimus and Alpha Trion couldn't suppress astonished stares, and Springer looked ready to throw something. Preferably a certain Decepticon Air Commander.

As the couple broke apart, they fought down laughter at the hilarious range of expressions on everyone's faceplates.

"What?" Arcee demanded of the assembled shellshocked warriors, mirroring her recently-revealed boyfriend's grin. "It had to come out sometime!"


	2. Pink Is Not Decepticonly

**AN: Animated this time, and sorta T rated... not entirely sure.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I've already run out of new ways to say that I don't own Transformers...**

* * *

Pink Is Not Decepticonly

"Starscream?"

"Yeah?"

Arcee inhaled as they broke apart, the seeker looking at her curiously. Normally, neither of them interrupted these moments – they were few and far between, snatched whenever they could both sneak away from their warring factions to find comfort in each other's embrace.

The femme dropped her gaze from his as she voiced the concern that had been eating away at the back of her CPU for a while now.

"I was just wondering something… it's probably completely unfounded, but…"

She was cut off as Starscream pulled her closer for another kiss. Apparently the Decepticon had decided that they could multitask.

"I, um, couldn't help… thinking about it," she murmured slightly breathlessly as their lips parted then met again. "And I'm trying not to… read too far… into it, because it's most likely… nothing to worry about, but… I would like to… know, just to put my processor at rest…"

"Hm?" Starscream enquired, grazing his denta over her audio covering. Deciding that they were both too distracted to focus on the matter at hand, Arcee shoved him away, looking directly into his bright scarlet optics.

The femme cycled deeply.

"…Why do you have a _pink_ paintjob?"

* * *

**AN: Should've stuck to 'don't ask, don't tell', if y'ask me. **

**Just kidding - I love this pairing, and now I have a new reason that they're awesome together: they're colour co-ordinated! Though that splash of orange on Screamy's chest does kinda ruin the effect a bit... Primus, I sound like Knockout.**

**So, before I go all Sassy Gay Medic on you lot, I shall bid you 'Bong Nini Weep Granagh Weep Bah!'**


	3. Taken

**Prime this time, and definitely T rated, Possibly even T+. I think you can blame this one on my best friend for lending me the Guild Hunter trilogy...**

**On a totally unrelated note, I. REGRET. NOTHING.**

* * *

Arcee was half-carried, half-dragged into the _Nemesis_' throne room by two vehicons before being dumped unceremoniously onto the floor in front of the ship's commander. Her injured leg gave way beneath her and she lurched forwards, just managing to halt her fall by throwing out both of her cuffed servos. Above her she heard a low chuckle, the throne's shadow-shrouded occupant darkly amused.

Scowling, the femme glanced upwards a fraction, her optics taking in the delicately tapered pedes, tall heel thrusters and slender legs, one crossed casually over the other.

"Scream," she spat, gritting her denta. "It's been a while."

Above her, the seeker laughed again.

"Curiously enough," he purred, rising from his throne to circle behind Arcee, servos clasped loosely behind his back, "Those are the very words that your _dear partner_ spoke before I ripped his spark from his chest."

Arcee twisted around to glare at him as he drew a servo from behind his back and examined it.

"It was with these very digits, in fact. However, you needn't worry about your own untimely demise, Autobot – at least, not yet. Presently, you are of far more use to me alive."

"Whatever sick torture games you have planned, forget it," Arcee snarled. "You might as well kill me now, in fact – I'd never betray my family."

"Is that how you think of them?" he smirked. "We have no such scruples on this ship, let me assure you. For proof, you need only look up there."

He gestured towards a dimly lit spot above the ornate yet badly tarnished throne. Arcee's gaze followed his servo and she involuntarily sucked in a breath. Dangling directly above Starscream's seat of power, suspended by a web of rusted chains, was the severed helm of his former oppressor. Megatron's mouth was open in a dying snarl, his optics wide and blank, seeing nothing with their unnerving stare. Or, perhaps, eternally watching the approach of those cold, scarlet optics, that predatory grin; forever seeing the silver flash of blade that had slashed this once-great warlord from the world…

Arcee turned her helm away before the thoughts could continue.

"Morbid, isn't it?" Starscream asked conversationally, the amusement clear in his voice. "Yet I find it serves as a poignant reminder for those who would otherwise cross me." He laughed once more, softly. "I may have risen to power through deceit and lies, but I can't have others following in my footsteps, can I?"

"I'm not interested in your twisted life story, Starscream. Cut the scrap and just end it now. You must_ know_ there's no point in torturing me!"

"Oh, but who said anything about torture?" the mech whispered. "A pretty femme like you, Arcee? There's far more fun to be had elsewhere."

Arcee's spark stopped as she realised what he had planned.

_Slag, no!_ she thought desperately. _That pit-spawned son-of-a-glitch, **inside** me? Int- inter-_ She couldn't even bear to think the word. _I'd sooner die!_

And yet, she knew she was at his mercy. Still, she could always put up a fight. Arcee would not go to him easily, of that much she was certain.

Starscream grinned in satisfaction as he saw mingled expressions of horror, fury and fear chase each other across her faceplates. He knew that she would put up a pit of a fight, and be a prize hard won. But win her he would. He was the Decepticon commander now, and nothing stood in his way.

CPU set, the femme glared up at Starscream, preparing to fight him off for as long as she could; until she could no longer move, until there was no longer strength in her body. However, instead of approaching, he was circling her, optics raking over her form as though drinking her in. Arcee couldn't supress a shudder at this. There was something of a predator in him at that moment – a primal, almost _organic_ look to him. And its intensity scared her.

Suddenly, he was right in front of her, crouching before her optics and tilting her helm back with a razor-sharp digit to look upon him face to face.

Arcee snarled and squirmed away, managing to throw him off, but overbalancing and ending up sprawled on the floor. As Starscream approached again, she hurriedly snapped her legs together.

_Don't need to give him any further ideas…_

"You do know that it's pointless, don't you, Autobot?" the Decepticon commander smirked as the femme scrambled into a sitting position. "Even if you did escape me, you'd just be captured and brought straight back here. You may as well give yourself up now – it would be a lot less tedious for both of us."

_Perhaps he does have a shred of honour left in him somewhere_, Arcee thought. _Enough not to stoop to taking what he wants from me by force_. If she could just keep rebuffing him for long enough, he might grow bored and lose interest. The likelihood of that happening was so slim that it didn't bear thinking about, but still she clung to the possibility of escape.

"Nice try, Screamer. But if you want me, you'll have to take me by force – and be warned, I _will_ put up a fight. I would _never_ willingly let you interface with me."

"Oh, we'll see about that…" Starscream murmured huskily, and Arcee cursed inwardly as his tone sent shivers through her body. Not out of fear, either.

Then, without warning, he swooped down and crushed his lips against hers, cupping the side of her helm with a servo to draw her faceplates upwards. Arcee gave a cry of disgust and tried to buck him off, but Starscream's other servo snaked around to her back, pressing her closer against him. The femme was determinedly keeping her lips clamped shut, optics wide and full of fury as they stared into his quietly mocking ones.

The Decepticon pressed deeper into the kiss, nipping at her mouth with his denta and attempting to force his glossa between her lips. Arcee stood her ground, her own denta clenched in defiance, but eventually the seeker managed to pry her lips apart. His glossa snaked between her dental plates to invade her mouth, exploring it greedily as his lips moved over hers.

The femme hissed in revulsion against his mouth. As his glossa tangled around her own, attempting to draw her out and further into the kiss, she made up her mind to make the experience as unpleasant as possible for him. Opening her mouth wider and seeming to invite him in, she waited until his glossa was stretched as far as it would go before biting down hard.

Starscream swore and withdrew rapidly from the kiss, mouthy firmly closed as he assessed the damage to his bleeding glossa. Arcee was left with the taste of energon in her mouth – _Starscream's_ energon, she thought with distate. She could see a ribbon of the vivid azure liquid tracing its way down the mech's chin. As she watched, he raised a digit and delicately wiped the bright stain away, a grin forming on his faceplates.

"Trying to resist, are we?" he smiled, lowering himself to one knee in front of her. "That is something I would really _not_ advise, Arcee… I always get what I want in the end."

In that instant, the femme knew that she had made a grave miscalculation. Starscream had no sense of morality in this – what she had previously taken to be a sliver of honour was in fact him taking a kind of perverse pleasure in the challenge of seducing Arcee into offering herself willingly. He was perfectly happy to take her by force.

One of Starscream's clawed servos crept towards her and her entire body froze, tense with fear. However, when it came his touch was surprisingly gentle, tracing a path with the backs of his digits from her waist and round to her upper back. Spreading his claws against her, he brought his faceplates closer until their forehelms were touching.

"Tell me, Autobot," he whispered, vermilion optics boring into her cyan ones. "Are you truly so reluctant for this? If you would only submit, I could show you incredible pleasure…"

Arcee's only reply was a snarl and he laughed darkly before turning his helm to brush his lips down her neck. The digits splayed against her back found their way to the base of one of her winglets, burrowing into the wiring housed there and causing a twist of mingled pain and pleasure to shoot through the femme's body. She echoed the sensation with an involuntary shudder, and felt Starscream's lips curve into a vindictive smile.

The Autobot's body tensed again as she felt the seeker's other servo cradle her lower back. Although she tried to resist, she was drawn inexorably towards him until she found herself crushed against his chassis. The Decepticon's lips crept back up her neck, pausing at one of the two pink parts of her helm that framed her faceplates. His denta grazed across it in the gentlest of caresses before his mouth returned to hers, glossa sliding in this time with only a minimal struggle. Arcee had to admit that he was good – pressing and nipping, glossa dancing expertly with hers – but as she found the still-bleeding wound in his mouth that didn't prevent her from scraping her denta cruelly across it.

This time Starscream didn't back away, merely giving a rumbling laugh before continuing the kiss.

"Two can play at that game, Autobot," he growled.

The next moment he had sunk his own denta deep into Arcee's lower lip, puncturing an energon line. The femme yelped in pain as she felt the fluid filling her mouth but still Starscream did not retreat, and she could feel satisfaction radiating from him. Arcee knew that he was not done yet.

As if in answer to her thoughts, clawed digits scraped along the lower prong of her winglet, leaving a silvery gash and again granting Arcee a heady taste of that cocktail of agony and seductive delight. When this was added to the sensation of Starscream's energon mixing with her own in her mouth – energon that had a strange, darkly exotic flavour to it – the femme found herself slipping into the clutches of desire.

The seeker's next action only intensified her growing lust. Slowly, his other servo slid around her waist and across her leg, before stroking softly and oh so gently across the armour that covered her port. At his touch Arcee gave a soft moan of longing, finally returning the kiss with a hungry intensity and pressing herself against him.

Only then did Starscream give a quiet snort of amusement and draw away, standing up to leave her gasping on the floor. Energon stained his mouth once more, but he appeared not to notice as he studied the femme at his pedes.

The moment that he had broken the kiss, Arcee had been overcome by a wave of disgust so powerful that it threatened to overbalance her. She, too, had energon on her faceplates, but she didn't bother to wipe it off, too immersed in her revulsion. And it wasn't just directed at Starscream. How could she have been so _stupid_ as to be seduced that easily? She couldn't believe that she'd almost let him frag her there and then!

The mech was speaking again.

"So, what's it to be, Autobot?" he purred, quirking an optic ridge. "Are you prepared to give yourself willingly, or will I have to take that which I desire by force?"

"Neither," she spat, energon hitting the floor as she spoke. "You're _never_ getting your greasy servos on me again, you filthy glitch-spawn!"

In a flash, Starscream's servo shot out and scraped its way down the side of her helm. There was nothing gentle about this caress – just a sharp bite of agony. Arcee gave a yell as he struck.

Furiously, the seeker seized her chin in a crushing grip, dragging her gaze towards his. A cruel expression – half leer, half grimace – twisted his faceplates, and Arcee once again saw that predatory gleam in his vivid optics. Her spark began to flutter like a caged bird.

"Wrong answer," the Decepticon warlord snarled.


	4. The Judging Of Books

**AN: So, the last fic was kinda dark. Sorry for springing that one on ya. The next three (yes, you're getting a triple-barreled update :)) should be a little more light-hearted. Starting with some TFA, set before the great war at Tyrest University. I know that's technically a Shattered Glass location, but it was listed as a 'leading science and knowledge university' on TFWiki, so I figured that it'd be the best setting. Enjoy!**

* * *

There was a lot of talk circulating the campus about this particular new arrival. He'd joined with all of the other freshmechs, of course, and was apparently studying in the science department. Even with the fact that he was a seeker, he didn't really stand out all that much.

That was, until one heard about his ideas. The young mech had visions for Cybertron – glorious visions that bots would sit and listen to, enthralled; leaving in the firm belief that such revolution was just around the corner. This student foresaw a world led and created, even _governed_, by advances in science and technology. Inventors would lead the way into a New Golden Age, constantly striving to improve their fellows' way of life and ruling with great fairness granted by their prodigious intelligence.

Personally, Arcee thought that it was a load of political nonsense given too much hype. It _sounded_ good, and she had no doubt that the mech spouting the stories truly believed in them, but she had seen fanatic visionaries like him at Tyrest University before. Their ideas never lasted more than a semester, after which people moved on to other things.

It was a good thing that she was in the final stellar cycle of training, Arcee supposed. Most of the younger bots didn't discuss things like this with their seniors for fear of being ridiculed. And thankfully the majority of the bots on her teaching course shared her views about the newcomer, so she remained relatively unaffected by the phenomenon.

However, that had all changed yesterday. Arcee belonged to an extracurricular group that studied politics which she had, coincidentally enough, joined because of her fascination with the seeker sub-faction. The small circle of friends studied the seekers and other similar groups purely out of interest, as often the subject bore no relevance whatsoever to their chosen course. Among them were a budding scientist, an aspiring intelligence agent, a talented botanist and a skilled historian, who specialised in past conflicts. And then there was Smokescreen, whose high-flying creators had insisted he take a course in Law, and whom Arcee had taken under her proverbial wing when it came to the study group in a bid to convince said creators that their son was, actually, taking some sort of interest in the subject he had been shoehorned into studying. Mostly, Smokescreen used the meetings to catch up on recharge.

And now, according to Perceptor, the group was gaining a new member. It was this same 'revolutionary' that the campus had been going crazy about – he'd met Percy somewhere around the science department, heard about the study group, and asked to join.

_Great_, Arcee thought. _That's exactly what we need – some up-himself freshmech shoving his nonsensical ideas down our fuel inttakes._

* * *

Starscream grinned to himself as he sauntered down the corridor towards the library, where he was meeting the other members of the study group. He was looking forward to this for more reasons than one – there was, of course, the interest in the subject, but since he had learned from Perceptor exactly who would be attending his mind had outlined a new benefit.

Arcee, the femme from Skyfire's teaching course, was part of the group.

Starscream's best friend was a couple of stellar cycles older than him and more interested in teaching science than studying it. The seeker had seen some of Skyfire's classmates around the campus, but the one who had really stood out for him was the pretty pink femme with the rose-coloured faceplates, who was more often than not to be found in the company of Smokescreen or the History student Springer. Thankfully, she didn't appear to be romantically involved with either of them, and once Starscream had discovered her name via Skyfire, he had made up his mind that he would, somehow or other, ask her out. So what if he was only a freshmech, and she was two stellar cycles his senior? She was _hot_. And, cocky and self-assured young mech that he was, Starscream didn't see how Arcee could say anything other than yes to him.

This explained his buoyant mood as he entered the library. He had it all planned out – after the meeting he would wait until Arcee left, then catch her up and offer to take her for energon at the university bar. Best not to ask her outright in the library – he didn't want it to sound too rehearsed.

He still had a confident smirk stuck to his faceplates as he approached the group's table, but his expression faltered slightly as he turned the grin on Arcee and was met with a coolly appraising stare. He didn't have time to dwell on this, however, as at that moment Perceptor joined the table and the discussion began.

* * *

After the meeting, Starscream mooched back to his living quarters alone. He felt deflated – there was no other word for it. The seeker had been so sure that Arcee was friendly, and what's more, intelligent, having seen her around the campus, but she hadn't said a word all evening. The femme hadn't had any points to make or opinions to offer at all – Pit, even _Smokescreen_ had contributed more than her! Starscream could only assume that Arcee had joined the group for much the same reasons as the law-student-cum-gambler.

_Great_, he thought. _That's just what we need – a stuck-up bimbo hanging around, making no contribution whatsoever!_


	5. Skivalitis

**AN: Have some G1 this time - set in the same 'peace treaty' universe as Love And War :)**

* * *

To say that Megatron was livid was a gross understatement.

"Where on Cybertron is that worthless pile of slag that passes for my second-in-command?" he demanded of the three bots that were unfortunate enough to be nearby – namely, Thundercracker, Skywarp and Springer. "The Aerialbots have requested his guidance at a training session and normally I couldn't give a scrap about such things, but they've got backup from that irritating tactician _and_ Prime, and neither of them will let the matter drop!"

Thundercracker rolled his optics and stumped out of the room to search for Starscream, closely followed by a grinning Skywarp who appeared to have dragged Springer with him.

"Trust me," he assured the protesting Autobot. "You do _not_ want to be in the same room as Megs any longer than you have to when he's like this. Come to think of it, it's probably best not to be in the same room as Megatron at all."

"Have you _only_ just figured that out, Warp?" Thundercracker asked incredulously. As the purple seeker opened his mouth to reply, the other Decepticon sighed.

"On second thoughts, don't answer that. Springer, if you're willing to help, we need to find Starscream before Megatron explodes or something."

The green mech folded his arms. He was among those who had taken less than kindly to the aspect of the treaty that declared he actually had to be _civilized_ towards Decepticons.

"Don't see why I should help you two," he replied defiantly. "He's your Air Commander – you find him."

"He's also the guy who stole the chick you've got a really obvious thing for right out from under your olfactory housing," Skywarp pointed out. "And as I think we all have a pretty good idea what he's up to right now, if you help us you might have the chance to get some revenge on him."

"When you put it that way, helping you sounds like a brilliant plan," Springer agreed. "Let's go."

"Wait a klik," Thundercracker interjected. "Skywarp came up with a 'brilliant plan'? I think the Pit just froze over!"

* * *

It was a good thing that the corridor was deserted – with the amount of laughter issuing from the store cupboard the couple inside would've been busted in five seconds flat had anybot been around.

Arcee giggled as her olfactory housing brushed Starscream's, and the Air Commander congratulated himself on managing to slip away to see her. This was a far superior alternative to instructing those irritating Aerialbots.

The femme leaned in for another kiss and he obliged, one servo inching down to her aft as their lips touched. Her servos toyed with the vents on either side of his helm before moving to his chassis to shove him against the wall. Starscream gave a low chuckle (well, low for him, anyway) and as their glossas danced together the servo on Arcee's aft grabbed her leg to wrap it around his waist.

The Autobot tilted her helm to the side, allowing him access, and as Starscream bent to brush his lips along her neck he failed to notice the cupboard door opening.

Arcee did, however, and tensed up in Starscream's arms. Sensing this, the seeker glanced towards the door, optics widening in embarrassment as he met the gazes of Thundercracker, Skywarp and Springer.

"Y'know, Scream, you really need to find a better hiding place," Skywarp grinned. "It only took us seven cycles to figure out where you were!"

Starscream released Arcee with a scowl before draping an arm back around her shoulders.

"An astounding achievement, Skywarp," he grumbled. "I'm guessing that as Springer's accompanying you, you knew exactly where I was and what I was doing and deliberately set out to sabotage me?"

It wasn't a question, but the green Autobot still gave a triumphant smirk in reply.

"Springer, can you please drop this?" Arcee begged exasperatedly. "You know that there was never anything between us, and now you're just being petty. I'm with Starscream. End of."

The grin slid off Springer's face, and with a muttered "Fine", he hunched his shoulders and wandered over to lean against the wall.

"Anyway, 'Scream, Megatron, Prowl _and_ Prime are all looking for you to help the Aerialbots, and I doubt you'll be able to put it off again like you did the last couple of times," Thundercracker said.

With a sigh Starscream turned to follow his trinemates, but Arcee caught his arm to pull him in for a goodbye kiss on the cheek. However, the seeker turned his helm to meet her lips with his, planting both servos on her waist to draw her towards him.

Arcee laughed, before Springer gave a huff and stormed off. That was when she realised what Starscream was doing.

"Play nice," she chided, smacking him on the shoulder. "You did that deliberately to make him jealous."

Starscream merely smirked.

"I'm a Decepticon," he replied. "Playing nice isn't within my capabilities."


	6. Opposition

**AN: Here's another TFA one, set a short while after the events of The Judging Of Books.**

* * *

"I – that's not what I was implying at all, and you know it! I was merely _suggesting_ that a council of scientists and inventors, consequently with significantly more open minds than our current rulers, might do a better job!"

"You were calling the High Council incompetent! Don't deny it! And I heartily disagree with that statement anyway – at present, we've got representatives from many different guilds governing us, which _has_ to be more sensible than a one-track-processored ruling body comprised entirely of Science Guild mechs – no offense, Perceptor. In fact, that's another point: I bet your idea of the Perfect Government is all-male, too!"

"_What?_ Now you're just jumping to conclusions!" Starscream spluttered indignantly. "I happen to think that femmes are just as capable as mechs at holding positions of power!"

"Really?" Arcee retorted hotly. "I'm _flattered_, Starscream. What a compliment – you think that I and those who share my gender are _just as capable_ as your _superior_ self!"

And they were off again. The flimsy façade disguising argument as political debate had slipped, and Starscream and Arcee had dissolved into an all-out bicker-fest.

Unable to get a word in edgewise Smokescreen, Springer, Highbrow, Botanica and Perceptor settled for exchanging exasperated glances and bets as to when the warring pair were finally going to give it up and frag each other.

* * *

**AN: So, that's the end of the three-part update, but I do have some other ideas in the pipeline. If you guys have any suggestions I'd be happy to include those, too!**


	7. Refraction

**AN: Decided to do some SG Prime. This is actually an entry for a contest on Deviantart, so I hope it's ok! (Refraction = the bending of light as it passes from one substance to another. Thought it was an appropriate title)**

* * *

Starscream had been working in his private laboratory aboard the _Victory_ when she struck.

The glass in the oversized porthole shattered inwards, moonlight reflecting off a thousand tiny shards until they mirrored the crystalline stars visible outside. But that same moonlight seemed to be all but absorbed by the slender black figure silhouetted against the ruined window.

Her armour appeared to have been smelted from darkness; not the velvety, warm variety of a midnight sky, but a cold, unforgiving, pure black – the kind found in the deepest of underground caves; the most menacing of shadows. And it was such a shadow that she cast on Starscream now, the low position of the moon elongating her image until it was stretched out in a sinuous length over the entire floor of the lab.

Whirling around, wings flared in apprehension, Starscream dropped the (mercifully empty) test tube he had been holding as the femme landed on the floor with a soft clank, coiled like a cat and preparing to spring.

The Decepticon caught a single glimpse of glowing crimson optics before Arcee leapt at him, pinning him against the worktop with a predatory grin. Starscream's intakes accelerated, his chassis rising and falling with each shallow cycle of air, as the femme's silver-framed faceplates loomed before him.

"I've been searching all over the ship for you, Starscream," she smirked, walking two digits up the front of his chest. "Broke into four different labs before I found you, and I'm none too pleased about having to waste my time dispatching those Vehicons… all I can say is, whatever this discovery is of yours that Prime wants, it'd better be worth it."

All at once Starscream's fear vanished, to be replaced with a sense of remorse and guilt, along with concern for the fate of his discovery.

"You had no right to slaughter _anyone_ to get to me," he whispered hollowly. "_No right_."

"What, just like _you_ had no right to offline Cliffjumper?" Arcee demanded, moving her faceplates closer to his. "If I wanted a lecture on Decepticon morals, 'Scream, then I'd get myself captured and imprisoned on this rustbucket you call a ship!"

The mech felt a twinge of regret at this.

"Look, Arcee, I… I'm truly sorry about what happened to your partner," he sighed. "But he attacked me, and I had no time to call for assistance to get him subdued. If I could've fought him off without offlining him, then-"

"Oh, I'm not mad about him _dying_," Arcee interjected airily. "Matter of fact, I was planning to kill him myself. The fragger was getting a little… 'too close for comfort', if you know what I mean, and if there's one thing I've always stuck by, it's that I _never_ take partners. It's not worth the trouble of looking out for them, and half the time they'll try to stab you in the back."

"Then why-?"

"I don't take kindly to people stealing my kills," the femme replied with a grin. "Cliffjumper's energon was mine, and you deprived me of the chance to snuff out his spark." She pressed herself further against him, and Arcee decided that as a tactic to distract him, it was most definitely working.

"You'd best hope," Arcee murmured into his audio, amusement clear in her voice as she sensed his discomfort, "that once Prime no longer has need of your abilities I'm feeling a bit more merciful. He's already promised me your spark in exchange for Cliff's."

_Normally_, Starscream thought slightly hysterically, spark pounding, _I'd be delighted to be in this sort of a position with a femme. But when that femme is whispering death threats into one's audios…_

His train of thought was severed abruptly as Arcee pushed away from him, causing him to stumble and very nearly land on his aft. Apparently not noticing this, the Autobot sauntered over to the glass cabinet in the centre of the room. Starscream was quite sure that she was deliberately making her hips sway like that, but that didn't mean he was able to tear his optics away.

However, as Arcee placed a servo on the case that housed his jewel of a discovery, anxiety flooded the Decepticon once more.

"So… this is the Golden Energon that Prime's so keen to get his servos on," the femme mused. "It's quite a pretty little trinket that you've got here, 'Scream."

Indeed it was, though 'pretty' didn't exactly do it justice. The Golden Energon sat in a glittering crystal at the centre of its case, the moonlight shining through it and casting vibrant translucent shadows on the floor below. Its colour fluctuated somewhere between amber and true gold, and this hue illuminated Arcee's faceplates as she gazed at it.

"Can you hear that?" she whispered, staring up at the crystal in awe. "The power coming off this thing – it's practically _audible_."

Reluctantly taking advantage of his opponent's entranced state, as normally he deplored treachery of any kind (and also wondering what on Cybertron she was talking about, because he had never heard so much as a whisper from the crystal), Starscream reached along the bench for the nearest available implement – a laser scalpel.

Arcee heard the clink of his shaking digits against the tool and casually fired a shot over her shoulder, barely missing his wing. The mech swallowed nervously and froze in place as he felt heat from the blast scorch the sensitive appendage.

"Next time I'll aim significantly lower," the femme called by way of warning, before suddenly thrusting a servo through the glass of the cabinet. The case's façade shattered and rained down on Arcee's arm in a torrent of fragments, but she fought against this flow and managed to rip off a piece of the golden crystal in front of her.

Smirking as Starscream looked on, helpless; the Autobot slid her chestplates aside and plunged the shard directly into her spark.

With a dark laugh, Arcee replaced her armour and grinned at the sight of golden ribbons of light already dancing over her body. They illuminated her jet black plating, giving it a burnished bronze sheen, and coiled down in bracelets to the silver at her wrists. Soon, she was all but engulfed in twisting tongues of radiance, and Starscream gazed, enraptured, as he observed for the first time the effects of his discovery.

After a cycle or two the brilliant flames died away and Arcee was left once more as an ebony shadow in the centre of the room. Then her optics swivelled to meet Starscream's. The brilliant crimson of before was now shot through with a thousand shades of gold and amber, giving the appearance of her very eyes being ablaze. A tiny, victorious smirk played at the corner of her mouth as she approached the Decepticon once more.

"Well, _this_ is certainly interesting," she purred, examining her servo, which still retained a flicker of golden energy at its digits. "Can see why Prime was so eager to obtain it. Although…" she paused, apparently mulling something over. "Now that _I_ have its power, I don't see why I have to share. Been meaning to break rank for a while now, in fact. And with this Golden Energon stuff and…" she quirked an optic ridge in Starscream's direction, "…a pet scientist, I reckon I'd be pretty powerful, don't you?"

The mech's optics widened and he backed up against the worktop as far as possible as Arcee advanced, one servo glowing with amber energy.

"Lights out," she grinned.


	8. Pit Hath No Fury

**A wild chapter has appeared! T-rated Starscream tormenting ahead... this was essentially an excuse to have Arcee... well... you'll have to read it to find out what she does to him. Regular G1 'verse, so no peace treaty guff or whatever :)**

* * *

Starscream sat in the Autobot's brig and sulked. Hunched over with his elbows resting on his knees, he lamented the fact that it always seemed to be _him_ that spent the most amount of time here – mainly because whenever he got captured Megatron put off negotiations for as long as possible in order to have a few solar cycles free of his treacherous second-in-command.

Still, at least this time he had an ally within the Autobot ranks. The seeker's expression brightened a little at the thought of Arcee, but almost immediately a knot twisted in the region of his fuel tank. Yes, it would be good to see his girlfriend again, but only as long as she hadn't found out about… _that_. Though Starscream didn't see how she could have.

Despite this conviction, a sense of paranoia settled over the Decepticon as the current guard, Ironhide – who had maintained a stony silence throughout his shift – got up and left the room. He exchanged words with someone in the doorway before sloping off down the passage.

As if guided by some great, karmic power, Arcee drifted into the room.

_She can't have found out_, Starscream thought, panic welling up within him_. Please let her not have found out…_

And indeed, it seemed that the femme was none the wiser as she called a farewell to Ironhide before turning to flop into his vacated chair. Starscream glanced up to shoot her a slightly hopeful grin, and when she responded with a similar, if oddly appraising look, the mech heaved an internal sigh of relief.

Arcee removed a datapad from subspace and began to peruse it.

"Don't want to blow our cover," she muttered to the seeker by way of an explanation. "We can talk a bit later on."

Starscream nodded in agreement, immensely thankful that she appeared not to have found him out. About a quarter of a megacycle passed as Arcee read the 'pad and the Decepticon began to doze off leaning against the wall.

However, the femme soon finished the datapad and subspaced it with a sigh. Starscream jerked out of his stupor and smiled as he turned to Arcee. Even though the cameras in the brig would expose them if they did anything more than talk, any time that he vhad with the Autobot was well spent in his opinion. He was almost glad that he had been captured.

Unfortunately, this view was about to change.

"So," Arcee remarked casually, standing up. "I have a friend who's stationed on Cybertron at the moment – Lancer. She was in Maccadam's about a decacycle ago…"

The smile slid rapidly off Starscream's face to be replaced with an almost comically horrified expression.

"She's your _friend_?" he blurted before he could stop himself.

A triumphant glint flashed in Arcee's optic.

"As a matter of fact, yes," she replied. "Why? You wouldn't happen to _know _her, would you?"

_Oh Pit, oh Primus, oh Unicron, ohslagohslagohslag… _Starscream's processor wailed hysterically. _This cannot be happening…_

"What?! No! I… I… of _course_ I don't know her!" he gabbled aloud. "Wh- what gave you that idea?"

"Hmm…" Arcee snorted skeptically, folding her arms and raising an optic ridge. "Well, as I'm sure you know, the general rule at Maccadam's is that anything goes"- Starscream's fuel tank began twisting itself in knots again – "and, oddly for Lancer, because she's usually what the humans would call a 'Wallflower', she actually hooked up with a Decepticon! Of course, it helped that the 'Con _came onto her_ first, but anyway… d'you have any idea who the mech might've been?"

Starscream's only reply was a strangled whimper that sounded as though it had the words 'please don't kill me' buried somewhere deep within it.

"Oh, well it doesn't matter if you don't," the femme continued, a decided glower now dominating her faceplates, "Because she confessed about it to me and the other girls on Elita's team this morning. Since it happened at Maccadam's we've all sworn to secrecy, but I see no reason to hide it from _you_, as Lancer told us who it was and the mech who fragged her is sitting _right here in front of me!_"

Abandoning all semblance of dignity in favour of self-preservation, Starscream gave a petrified shriek and threw his arms up to shield his faceplates.

"I was overcharged!" he wailed. "I'd taken leave of my senses! Please, have mercy!"

"Oh, I'll give you _mercy_," Arcee hissed venomously. "And according to Lancer you looked as if you'd barely even had one cube! So don't even _bother_ trying to use that as an excuse!"

"Okay, okay!" the seeker yelped, lowering his arms the minutest fraction to peer at the femme. Upon meeting the deadly glare that Arcee had fixed him with, he squeaked and covered his face once more. "Maybe I wasn't exactly overcharged. But it's just… I hadn't seen you for a while, and like you said, it was _Maccadam's_. Anything goes. And it's been a while since we last 'faced and…" he trailed off as he sensed the waves of fury rolling palpably off Arcee.

"Oh, so you were _horny_!" the incensed femme spat, voice dripping with sarcasm. "_That_ makes it alright, then. Never mind that when we agreed to this relationship we accepted that it'd be difficult to see each other! You got a boner, so all is forgiven!" she glared at her boyfriend some more before continuing. It was a good thing that looks couldn't kill, as otherwise Starscream would have been a quivering puddle of slag on the floor of the cell.

"And anyway, that excuse about 'anything goes at Maccadam's' is a load of bullscrap. If that's the case, how would you like it if I dragged Springer there tonight and 'faced him?"

Starscream made and indignant spluttering sound.

"See?" Arcee snapped. "You don't like it, do you? Well maybe now you have some idea of how _I_ feel!"

She paused, intakes cycling heavily. As Starscream gingerly glanced upwards, the femme passed a servo across her optics with a weary sigh.

"Look," she murmured. "I know your sense of morality isn't exactly up to par, what with you being a Decepticon and all, but this is just taking it too far. I can't do this anymore, 'Scream. I'm breaking up with you."

"Wait – _what?!_" Starscream squawked, leaping to his pedes.

"You heard," the femme replied. "I mean yes, I still like you – in fact, before this happened, I was even starting to think that I loved you – but it's clear that you don't feel the same way if you're just going to go behind my back at the first opportunity."

"Arcee, listen!" the Decepticon optics wide and pleading. "I admit It – I made a huge mistake. But in case you've forgotten, I was the reason we got together in the first place, and my feelings for you haven't changed"-

"I find that kinda hard to believe now that you've gone and screwed my friend"- Arcee interjected.

"It's true, I swear! I still feel the same way about you. I…" Starscream hesitated, swallowing nervously. "I- I love you, 'Cee."

The femme's expression softened, but she didn't relent, prompting the seeker to continue.

"Please, give me one more chance," he begged. "You have my word that nothing like this will happen again."

"Wow, the word of a Decepticon! I'm honoured," Arcee retorted dryly.

"It's not the word of a Decepticon, though," Starscream protested. "It's the word of a mech who's in danger of losing the femme he loves because he made a stupid mistake. One more chance, 'Cee – I'm begging you!"

Still fixing the mech with an appraising stare, Arcee stepped forward.

"Fine," she agreed. "I'll give you another chance. As of now, any 'facing is off-limits for a quartex"-

"A _quartex_?" Starscream interrupted disbelievingly.

Holding up a servo to silence him, Arcee continued.

"If you manage to keep your spike to yourself during that time – and believe me, I will find out about any illicit jaunts to Maccadam's one way or another – then I'll take you back. If not, then you're dumped for good. Agreed?"

Starscream didn't particularly like the idea, but he found himself nodding in acceptance – after all, it wasn't as though he was in any position to protest.

"Alright," he sighed, shoulders slumping. "And Arcee – I'm truly sorry about what happened. I swear I won't do anything like that again."

The sincerity and dejection in his voice almost made Arcee reconsider what she was about to do.

Almost.

"Right then," she said breezily, uncrossing her arms. "Now that that's sorted, I guess there's only one thing left to do."

To Starscream's surprise, she deactivated the energy bars on the front of his cell. The mech's eyes widened as she began to advance, a dangerous glitter in her optics.

"Um… 'Cee? What exactly are you up to?"

"Revenge," the Autobot grinned." This should stop you from fragging for a solar cycle or so. Not a very long time, granted, but there are other effects it'll have on you…"

Optics wide in panic, Starscream backed up against the wall looking terrified.

"'Cee? You're starting to scare me here… what're you – oh no. _Please_ no…"

But the femme was past listening to his pleas as she drew her leg back behind her – a leg, Starscream suddenly noticed, that had an incredibly solid-looking pede attached to the end of it – before swinging it forwards so that the aforementioned pede connected with the mech's crotchplate with a very definite _clang_.

"_**AAAAUUUUUGH!**_"

The resulting scream of pain reverberated through the halls of the _Ark_, its audial-splittingly high pitch leaving all listeners without a single doubt as to whom the culprit was or what had been done to him.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were first on the scene, determined to bask in Starscream's discomfort for as long as they were able. They were met by Arcee in the doorway to the brig, who stalked past them without a word, before proceeding to the seeker's cell.

The Decepticon Air Commander was curled up in a foetal position on the floor, emitting a pained whimpering sound with his faceplates contorted in agony. Sideswipe grinned.

"So… whaddya think he did to drive 'Cee up the wall?"

"Dunno," Sunstreaker replied, scowling as his brother's nudging threatened to scuff his paint. "Be his normal self? That'd be enough to piss _me_ off."

"Fair point," the red mech conceded, turning his attention once more to the trembling wreck that was Starscream. "Y'know something?"

"What?" his twin prompted.

"I _almost_ feel sorry for him. Whatever he did to slag her off, I doubt it can have been enough to merit…" – he shuddered slightly – "…_This_."

* * *

**AN: Oh, trust me Sides, it was XD**


End file.
